Taiwan is an island in East Asia. In addition to the island of Taiwan, the country includes the P'eng-hu Islands (Pescadores), the small Chinmen (Quemoy) Islands off the mainland city of Xiamen (Amoy), and the Matsu group off Fuzhou (Foochow). The capital and largest city of Taiwan is T'aipei. Summers in Taiwan are warm and humid and extend from May until September; temperatures average about 28° C (about 82° F). Winters are mild and last from December until February; January temperatures average about 18° C (about 64° F). Typhoons occur between June and October.

Ancient celebrations include the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Feast of Lanterns. Taiwan has a number of notable libraries and museums. The two largest libraries, both in T'aipei, are the National Central Library and the
Taiwan Branch Library. The main museums, also in T'aipei, include the Hwa Kang Museum, with its collections of folk and modern Chinese art; the National Palace Museum, which exhibits treasures from the mainland; the National Museum of History; and the Taiwan Provincial Museum, which displays collections from local cultures.